Conventionally, the passenger side airbag module for an automobile comprises a trough-shaped reaction canister having endwalls and a cylindrical inflator contained therein. The inflation cylinder is mounted in the reaction canister by passing it through a hole in one of the endwalls. A threaded stud extends from the end of the inflation cylinder and passes through a hole in the other wall where it is retained by a nut.
The inflation cylinder contains holes through which gas escapes to inflate the airbag when a crash occurs. The position of these holes within the reaction canister is critical in order to ensure that proper airbag inflation takes place. For this reason, it has been proposed to key the threaded stud to its opening in the reaction canister endwall whereby the inflation cylinder will be fixed in one of two possible alignments 180.degree. apart. One proposal has been to provide one or two "flats" on the threaded stud surface and provide the hole in the endwall with a matching shape. However, it would be desirable to avoid the use of interrupted threads.
A second problem arises from the fact that the assembly of the inflator into the reaction canister is essentially a "blind" operation. This makes assembly a difficult task.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved system for installing an inflator in an airbag reaction canister in a preselected rotational alignment. Another object is to provide such a system including a tool which cooperates with the inflator stud to facilitate the assembly. Other objects, features, and advantages will become apparent from the following description and appended claims.